Jail threat to dentist in £85,000 false claim

Daljit Singh Jabbal, 56, who used to work at a dental surgery in Killinghall Road, Bradford, pleaded guilty to a charge of false accounting when he appeared before the city's crown court yesterday.

Jabbal, of Quaker Lane, Liversedge, obtained the money by submitting false computerised claim forms between April 2006 and October 2008.

His barrister Abdullah Al-Yunusi told Recorder Dean Kershaw that his client had made arrangements to repay the 85,000 to the primary care trust before his sentence hearing which will take place on March 25.

He said his client had known for some time that he would be facing a court appearance and had put together funds to make restitution to the PCT.

Mr Al-Yunusi also revealed that Jabbal had de-registered himself as a result of the court proceedings against him.

Recorder Kershaw agreed to an adjournment of Jabbal's case so that a pre-sentence report could be prepared, but he stressed that all sentencing options would be available to the judge who deals with him.

"The likely sentence for a person who was in your position at the time is custody, but that's a matter for the judge on the next occasion," the judge told Jabbal.

He said it would be a matter for the sentencing judge whether repaying the money would make a big difference to the sentence or not.

Prosecutor Stephen Uttley said the defendant would also face a costs claim totalling about 10,000.

Jabbal was granted unconditional bail until he reappears at court next month.